Many people show up to football and basketball games, but there was always one group of students that could be counted on to support the teams: the Conway Springs Cardinal Pride Band, directed by Stephanie Bodley.
“My favorite part of being in band is playing at halftime during boys basketball games,” freshman Mireyah Conkle said.
Besides basketball and football games, the students also prepared for music contests and concerts.
“The hardest part about band is spending extra time to get music done and getting it better,” senior Levi Mies said.
After pep band season, students began preparing for contest season. They traveled to Douglass for the League Contest on March 11. Solos and ensembles went to Regionals at Butler Community College on March 29 and State at Tabor College on April 26. The large group went to Pratt for State on April 10.
Learning new music could be a struggle for students. They had to learn and memorize the notes for competitions, which could be stressful in front of crowds.
“My favorite part is getting to do a whole bunch of instruments because I play percussion,” junior Aliette Potts said. “My favorite instrument is the suspended symbol because I really like the sound of it, and it’s one of the easier instruments.”
Some songs had been played for many years.
“(My favorite song was) ‘Hail Conway’ because it’s a tradition and I enjoy it,” senior Bailey Kennard said.